Following Vertical’s completion of the English translation of the initial five-volume arc of The Guin Saga—the world’s longest-running fantasy series with 120+ best-selling volumes and counting in Japan—the company hosted a gathering of industry commentators to discuss the epic saga. In August 2008, Genji Press proprietor Serdar Yegulalp and Ninja Consultants Erin Finnegan and Noah Fulmor joined Vertical Editorial Director Yani Mentzas in a fascinating examination of not only the momentous first arc, “The Marches Episode”, but also the series as a whole; its prolific author; the film industry’s interest in the property; its influences and others it has inspired; American fantasy vs. British fantasy; Japanese publishing; and Guin’s future in The States. And that’s only a fraction of the epochal discourse. A transcription of the roundtable is now available for free on the Guin homepage and in podcast form at Ninja Consultants Show #64. You don’t have to be a fan of the leopard-masked warrior, either. Fans of Japanese literature; the inner workings of publishing; and both fantasy and science fiction will find something of interest in this momentous meeting.
Historic Roundtable Discusses The Guin Saga
Friday, October 24th, 2008March Comes in Like a Leopard
Tuesday, March 4th, 2008
Vertical has just the thing to offset those winter blues: The Guin Saga, Book Three: The Battle of Nospherus and The Guin Saga Manga: The Seven Magi, Volume 3. Both books are on sale now and both will most assuredly warm the cockles of your heart and stave off the late-winter cold until spring arrives. As the third chapter of the five-part “Marches Episode,” The Battle of Nospherus makes the high-octane excitement of the two previous volumes seem like a PBS pledge drive as the mighty Guin rallies the disparate tribes of the Sem against the invading Mongauli Army, and the secret of Cal Moru and the real reasons for Lady Amnelis’s interest in Nospherus are revealed.
Meanwhile, the third and final volume of The Seven Magi explodes with sword-wielding action, as King Guin finally learns the identity of the powerful sorcerer that has crippled Cheironia and threatens the very existence of reality. Monsters and mayhem, death and destruction, all captured in pen-and-ink by the Michelangelo of Manga, Kazuaki Yanagisawa, whose work Randal Strock of SFScope calls “stunning.” The Guin Saga, Book Three: The Battle of Nospherus and The Guin Saga Manga: The Seven Magi, Volume 3… the perfect antidote for the Ides of March!
Two New Guin Books On Sale NOW!
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008
The Guin Saga, Book 2: Warrior in the Wilderness and The Guin Saga Manga: The Seven Magi, Volume 2 have hit the stands, and not a day too soon. The frenzied mob outside the Vertical offices demanding more Guin was starting to get a disquieting, feral look in their eyes. And we at Guin Central understand. When last we left the leopard-headed amnesiac warrior in the prose novels, he was literally taking a leap of faith. But don’t take my word for it. Read what Scott Green from Ain’t It Cool News had to say:
“Kaoru Kurimoto manages the flurry of situations being set up and resolved like the trick of putting a hand on a table with fingers spread out, then stabbing a blade between the outstretched digits. The speed and coordination is that amazing.”
As for Guin’s manga-nized and royal counterpart, his kingdom was being overrun with dark sorcery, giant spiders, and bodacious sorceresses when the first volume closed. And what are the top reviewers saying? Take a gander at Serdar Yegulalp from Advanced Media Network’s comments:
“A blanket recommendation for The Guin Saga Manga goes out to three types of people: those who are already Guin lovers; high-fantasy fans; and anyone looking for something nicely off the beaten path. There’s only one more volume for this particular story, so I’m hoping other Guin manga adaptations will follow suit in the future. We should be so lucky.”
Of course, by the time you’ve read all this, the book might be sold out. So what are you waiting for?!!
Recent Vertical Releases Make Holiday Shopping Easy!
Thursday, December 20th, 2007
Vertical has supplied the perfect gift to you, its loyal readers, this holiday season by releasing a quartet of titles to satisfy the ficklest of friends and family members on your shopping list. Don’t let the anxiety of buying something for that cranky old uncle get to you this year; put down the nose-hair trimmer and send him to Northern Mongaul with Guin and his intrepid band of allies as they flee an army of 12,000 into the treacherous desert wastes of Nospherus with The Guin Saga, Book 1: The Leopard Mask. Disinterested teenagers on your list? Send the girls to outer space with Keiko Takemiya’s galactic epic, Andromeda Stories (Volume 2 is out now!) and transport the boys to Cheironia, where they can drool over bodacious babes and bathe in the barbarian swordplay of The Guin Saga Manga: The Seven Magi, Volume 1. You may be surprised to catch a mumbled, “Thanks!” beneath their seemingly unexcitable miens. Finally, for that engaged, newlywed, or married person on your list there’s Asa Nonami’s Now You’re One of Us, voted one of the best reads of 2007 by fearsmag.com, writing that it “does for marriage what Jaws did for a day at the beach.” So give ’em a gift they won’t return this year… give ’em a heaping healthy dose of Vertical.
Exclusive Guin Masks to Debut at NY Anime Festival
Friday, November 16th, 2007
In celebration of the dual release of The Guin Saga, Book 1: The Leopard Mask and
The Guin Saga Manga: The Seven Magi, Volume 1 on December 18th, Vertical has created stylish Guin masks that will be handed out to attendees at the NY Anime Festival, December 7-9, at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City. Fans there will have a chance to buy copies of the books more than a week before they officially hit the shelves. Lucky Verticalites will also be able to purchase other titles at special show prices. So text your friends and make a special note to visit the Vertical booth at the NY Anime Festival!
Guin Saga Manga, Volume 1 Preview Spotted on Vertical Website!
Monday, October 29th, 2007
Inspired by the 25-million bestselling series in Japan—114 volumes and continuing— The Guin Saga Manga is one of the most highly anticipated manga titles of 2007. Though a scant six weeks away, fans are clamoring for a peek, the wait harder to endure than the leopard mask the series’ hero is cursed to forever wear. We at Vertical feel your pain. So before you do anything rash, like buy one of our competitors’ lesser titles, we have provided an exclusive look. But be warned, Guin’s take-no-prisoners M.O. is not for the squeamish, nor anyone under 16 years of age. Enjoy!